Artist: Crystal Castles
Album: Crystal Castles
Date Released: May 24, 2010
Genre: Electronica
Album Review:
What can only be described as an alter-ego to Crystal Castles' first release, this (regrettably confusing) self-titled sophomore exposes a darker, more aggressive side of this electronic duo. However, in a sort of Cut Copy groove, their sound has overall matured and developed into a fairly cohesive set of tunes. And by aggressive, I also intend to note that Alice Glass is really breaking glass here. To quote RA Reviews, "Alice's voice still sounds like it needs some WD-40 on some of the early cuts. But later in the record, she chirps and purrs, too. She's older, I guess". I agree, it's a little too abrasive at times, but for some of the songs it fits well.
Oh, and let me clarify that the LP is cohesive in the sense that it blurs together into one 53 minute song, and though it's one of those good-yet-forgettable albums, it lacks any real 'plot', so to speak. The emotion is pretty haphazard and maybe even chaotic.
So what started out as a fairly positive review, ended up as a slow sigh of disappointment. It's an enthralling album, but it has its faults. Die-hard fans won't be phased by anything I have to say, but my opinion? Brush over this album, and keep the first one in your favorites list. The two don't belong in the same league.
Rating: 6.5 out of 10
Song-by-song:
Fainting Spells: Radio static starts this album, and what seems like a crow singing underwater...oh wait....yup, Alice Glass. The song has an overall haunting feeling, but no depth.
Celestica: This song is the opposite, with plenty of reverb, those Cut-Copy-esque vocals, and I can foresee this one being a popular play.
Doe Deer: And with an intense amount of feedback and banshees, we grin and bear it. It's only 1:38 long. And the more you listen to it, the more it draws you in.....to the point where you start to enjoy watching your grandmother pole dance. SKIP.
Baptism: With some neat keyboard fills, this trance pulls you almost completely away from Doe Deer....until Glass sings again. And again, the vocals' poor representation is almost forgivable because of how catchy it is. No fault of Ethan Kath, just a poor idea.
Year of Silence: I am not sure if the lyrics are indecipherable or foreign...anyhow, there certainly isn't any silence on this track.
Empathy: A very spacey song with enough reverb to show me a sonogram of myself slightly conceals Glass's voice...to my dismay, because I highly enjoy her voice when it isn't an ultrasonic frequency.
Suffocation: Another song that shies away from the chaotic, and towards the tried-and-true instrumentality pioneered by Daft Punk and others. As soon as it comes in full force, it begins its descent and outro. A very enjoyable song indeed.
Violent Dreams: A very low-key and chill out tune, with the bass eat hardly noticeable, and lofty synth carrying the whole song through.
Vietnam: I do like what the Castles have done to the vocals on this one, I like it a lot. I could explain it, but it's worth a listen for yourself. A beat equivalent to a drum march sustains this song, before it explodes into that infamously tagged "elevator music" sound.
Birds: This song was a pretty heavy one, and it also carried a dark tone. If by "birds" they meant "carnivorous vultures", then the song title is very fitting. Otherwise, it kind of gives the listener a daze, even after a second listen (that's a good thing).
Pap Smear: If Crystal Castles EVER had a "sound", this song best personifies it. Admirers of their first release will find a home in this song, with that crystalline synth sound, and that middle ground between soft ambient vocals and harsh shrieks provided by Alice Glass. I can sense another hit from this one.
Not In Love: What could very well be an accidental remix of an 80's pop song (fittingly titled, by the way) follows behind Pap Smear. The warbled vocals got on my nerves, and so did the synth for that matter. I'm not a big 80's person I guess. But seriously, the vocals are too souped up.
Intimate: Electronica is not my forte. But if you toned this song down and added quirky audio clips, I swear that this could slide as an M83 track. I like its minimalistic yet full tone.
I Am Made of Chalk: If you rewinded a casette tape of a lion singing underwater, you wouldn't be too far from copying the glorious vocal effects witnessed on this ending track. But surprisingly, I am really drawn in by it. This is not a bad ending track. I'll let you judge this one for yourself.
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